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The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) provides a contribution to farm businesses to invest in equipment and technology that will help them develop more sustainable farming, horticultural and forestry systems. The fund has now been in existence for two years, and over 3,000 applications were made in 2022-23. However, those that have already received a grant could still be eligible to apply for further funding.
For 2024 applications, the funding has been split into three separate grants as follows:
As applicants can apply for any of the three grants, each business could receive up to £125,000. Payments received will contribute to 50-60% of the average cost of the item selected (or the actual cost if this is lower).
The FETF focuses on farmers, horticulturalists, forestry owners and contractors. Please note that not all livestock farming systems are eligible and applicants should make their own enquiries before registering with the scheme. Application for the FETF opens shortly, with two further windows to open later in the year.
Productivity Items
There are now 85 different items that can be applied for under the productivity grant. 24 new items are introduced in 2024, based on feedback from surveys conducted by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA). New technologies and equipment are categorised by farming system and include a tractor-powered electric desiccator for weed and plant control, a mobile tractor-powered livestock total feed ration mixer, and a forestry harvesting head with bark stripper.
Popular productivity equipment continues to be a robotic drill and guided hoe, automatic tree planters and a robotic silage pusher.
Slurry Management Items
There are now 17 different items of slurry equipment that can be applied for. Following feedback from the DEFRA surveys, the specification for the equipment has been widened to allow screw press, screen press and mobile separators.
Animal Health and Welfare
There are now 130 animal health and welfare items that can be applied for, including 29 new items.
Applications are scored based on their contribution to the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway priorities. Applicants can boost their application by 20% by proving they have discussed the items applied for with a vet.
Popular health and welfare equipment continue to be handling systems, disinfecting equipment and remote monitoring systems.
Application Details
Applicants should check their eligibility before applying for grants under the scheme. Each item applied for is assigned a score out of 100. When the applicant sends in their grant application, the scores for each item are added together, and divided by the number of items applied for. This average score is then used to rank applications; funds will be granted to the highest scoring applications first and will continue down the list until the quota for that application window is reached. However, do not worry if your application is rejected in one application window, as you are eligible to reapply at later application windows in the year.
Payments from the grant are received in arrears, meaning that you must prove you have the funds to cover the full cost initially. Applicants cannot utilise money from other UK public funds, lease or hire purchase schemes. Applications cannot be made for items which are brought using part exchange, second hand or ex demos, items bought on hire purchase or lease, or items already purchased prior to application. Claiming the grant can only occur once the item has been paid for, delivered, installed and made operational.
If you are interested in applying for the scheme or wish to request more information, please contact a member of our Rural team on 01234 352201 or email bedford@robinsonandhall.co.uk
